A rail union chief has warned that train drivers could take industrial action for “two decades” as Londoners suffered fresh disruption on Monday.
Amended timetables are in place and fewer services will run from Monday to Saturday, July 8, as train drivers refuse to work overtime amid a pay dispute.
Meanwhile Aslef has announced that its members at 15 train operators will refuse to work overtime over another week, from July 17 to 22
Commuters were on Monday being urged to allow extra time for their journey, with services busier than usual, especially in peak hours.
“It’s likely you will need to queue and you may not be able to board your chosen service,” Thameslink warned passengers.
Aslef announced last month that its members will withdraw non-contractual overtime, known as rest-day working, with 16 of the country’s 35 rail operators through this week.
But on Monday, Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan signalled that strikes could continue for “20 years” until a deal is reached.
He told Sky News: “This can’t go on forever, we want to resolve this no matter how badly [the Government] treated us, no matter how badly they behaved.
“It is still our intention to find the resolution... we’re going to keep taking action until someone listens to us.”
He added: “If we’re whistling in the wind for five years, 10 years, 20 years to get somebody to table this, it will be resolved at some point and somebody will talk to us properly at some point.”
Asked if he was prepared to take action for two decades, he replied: “Quite possibly, because the option is what, to do nothing?”
The action was likely to impact visitors to the first week of the Wimbledon tennis tournament and Wireless festival in Finsbury Park this weekend. Gatwick Express services will also not run this week, affecting holidaymakers.
Popular commuter services such as Southern, Southeastern, Thameslink and South Western Railway will be affected.
📢 An amended timetable with fewer services will run 3-8 July. Services will be busier than usual. It’s likely you’ll need to queue & may not be able to board your service. Please allow extra time.
— Thameslink (@TLRailUK) July 2, 2023
ℹ️ More info & to check when journey planners update - https://t.co/htMhatmctF pic.twitter.com/hOA37iI37x
Only one or two trains will be running per hour on popular routes to London, including from Brighton, Portsmouth, Luton and Cambridge.
Some train operating companies have warned of not being able to run a full service on these dates, while others have said they may experience short-notice cancellations.
Train companies affected are: Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; Cross Country; East Midlands Railway; Greater Anglia; GWR; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; Island Line; LNER; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; South Western Railway main line; SWR depot drivers; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains.
If passengers travelled between Monday and July 8 and their train was delayed, they will only be entitled to the usual â¯Delay Repay compensation.
Londoners have taken to Twitter to vent their frustration on Monday morning, with one traveller due at Gatwick Airport writing: “Train to Gatwick gets cancelled last min so I have no option but to spend £70 on taxi to reach on time. London is my hell.”
Another wrote: “It’s not just commuters. Tomorrow and Wednesday I’ve got important hospital appointments in London at UCLH. Train from Peterborough to King’s Cross is my only real transport option. These strikes potentially cost lives.”
It is understood that there have been no negotiations between the union and the rail operators since the action was announced on June 19.
Aslef’s Mr Whelan told Sky News on Monday that he has been “ignored” by Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Rail Minister Huw Merriman, who he said he hadn’t spoken to for around six months.
After the strikes were announced in June , Mr Whelan said: “We have continually come to the negotiating table in good faith, seeking to resolve this dispute.
“Sadly, it is clear from the actions of both the train operating companies and the Government that they do not want an end to the dispute.
“Their goals appear to be to continue industrial strife and to do down our industry.
“We don’t want to inconvenience the public.
“We just want to see our members paid fairly during a cost-of-living crisis when inflation is running at above 10%, and to not see our terms and conditions taken away.
“It’s time for the Government and the companies to think again and look for a resolution."
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group responded: “Aslef’s leadership continues to disrupt customers’ travel plans.
“They rejected a fair and affordable offer without putting it to their members which would take average driver base salaries for a basic salary for a four-day week without overtime from £60,000 to nearly £65,000 by the end of 2023 pay awards.
“Train companies will work hard to minimise the impact of the overtime ban but the impact of Aslef’s action will vary across the 16 train operators and customers are advised to check their travel plans before setting off.
“We ask Aslef to recognise the very real financial challenge the industry is facing and work with us to deliver a better railway with a strong long-term future."
The RMT Union has announced three days of strike action affecting 14 train operating companies on Thursday 20 July, Saturday July 22 and Saturday July 29.
